In Which The Recruiter Goes Blind
by OrenjiJemi
Summary: And DCMO is the source of all problems. (Side story one-shot to Sugarpunk, rated for violence and language)


AN: (Jemi) Yeah, just a side story one-shot for IRL!Steampunk!Crumbelina Di Carmello/Angelina Di Amello, the sightless lady in waiting/seamstress of Princess Von Scweetz.

This shall be the first of many side stories, be prepared.

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Summary: In which DCMO is the cause of all problems.

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_'It...really hurt.'_

Thank you, Sky-dweller General Obvious.

Of course it had, but getting your eyes gouged out normally does.

She was sitting on the steps, only twelve, watching Amelia, her current care-taker, a twenty-five year old, fight with her husband, a man whose name she'd never taken the time to learn. She fiddled with the material of her bright dress, the light brown fringe comforting under her fingers.

Then she approached, well, snuck up behind her, that is. A small girl, who couldn't be more than seven, peered down at Angelina with dark molten eyes, her bright smile seeming to illuminate the entire environment around them, as if traveling among the sun-lit clouds wasn't enough. Without a word, she adjusted the dark red, knee-length, full-skirted dress she wore to fit more comfortably on her small frame as she plopped silently next to her on the wooden step. Angelina may have thought her a wonderful stylist, if she, being herself, hadn't noticed the dirtied brown work boots on her feet right away. It simply_ killed_ Angelina to see such things.

Now she glanced curiously at her, having seen her staring. Blushing, Angelina looked away, knowing that she'd had one of her "moments" at the worst of times.

Darn it.

Looking back, she saw her stare still on her, the inquisitive expression not leaving. Getting over the embarrassment, Angelina smiled sweetly, saying kindly,"Hello, I'm Angelina Di Amello. May I ask who you are?"

She smiled again, the the curious spark continued in her eyes,"Katya Kasaianenko!". She held out her hand, and the shook your's strongly. She smiled, looking back at the sword fight, the came close, whispering,"That's my older sister! She and her lover once lived here on the ship, so I came along too-it goes to such extraordinary places, I'll have you know!-but the they went to live in the town and own a sword shop, and now I've got a bloody nephew! Who'd want to get settled down so early?" She yelled, hands flying up, as she herself stood, and continued,"When you have the entire world to explore, such places as the sky kingdoms told of in ancient Turboth lore, and the under-dwellers said to inhabit the old mining tunnels that were abandoned back centuries ago-oh, how amazing it will be to find such things when _I _am captain!" She twirled around the small portion of the deck left untouched in the dual.

Angelina was befuddled, but, none the less, extremely exhilarated by the younger girls ramblings of adventure.

As they continued to speak, Angelina found that she found the younger girl to be wonderful company. Ultimately, the discussions and random babbling of the both of them, Katya's being dreams of traveling, and Angelina's a dream of designing and art, led to laughter and loud conversations late into the night as the ran around the ship. Angelina learned of Katya's "other half".

"Honestly!" the girl screamed, standing next to Angelina in the birds nest as the view the the sunset,"She's a complete bitch." -Angelina had also gotten used to the language-"It's as if at some point I'll be forced to cleanse myself and bid the damned demon woman, I'm assuming she's a woman- a might well deserved "sod off"!"

Angelina laughed, replying,"Katya, she couldn't be that bad. I'm sure you're exaggerating."

She shook her head, serious for the first time that day,"If only you'd seen it, Angel."

**_"And if you did. . .would you still be my friend?"_**

* * *

Now she was fifteen, and walking the street with her young, five year-old brother, when she was suddenly ran at and hugged by a smaller girl.

"Angel! I'm home~!" she yelled up at her in a sing-song voice, with a goofy smile on her face and a strange over-sized hat on top of her curled brunette hair.

"Oh dear, how was work?" She yelled back. It was a practiced routine for the two, Katya had her countless outages on that ship she claimed to one day be her's, and the two had often discussed a code. This particular greeting meant nothing whatsoever. She was just happy to have her "sister" back.

Angelina hadn't yet seen Decmo. She believed it existed; she could tell from the weary looks Moony, a friend of Katya's, occasionally got when Katya was annoyed, criticized, or otherwise in a bad mood.

This time, Katya spoke of a heroic adventure to the depths of the ocean as the teamed up with the sea-dwellers, looking for a mystic kingdom that Angelina had never heard of, nor pronounce the name of. She told her about storm pirates who'd tried raiding the ship, but failed miserably, and ended up getting "owned" by the Sky Voyage crew, and how she'd taken down the captain with the help of her trusty partner, Moony, taking the pirate hat that was currently on her head as a prize (Moony remarked on how he had gotten the man's glass eye). Angelina told her that it was a terrible choice with her dress.

_**"We can be the best of friends, I the great pirate captain and ye, me seamstress!"**_

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Maybe she'd known it would happen today, and maybe she'd underestimated her.

"To be fair...I've heard her warn you excessively."

She felt the metal against her throat slide, then get replaced by an unnaturally strong-gripping, small hand, holding her down, as if the kneeling girl on her stomach wasn't enough.

A giggle,"She really likes you, you know. You're like the friend that she was never allowed to have as child...because of me, of course."

Now, as she kept her eyes closed, bracing for an impact at any moment. Apparently, it didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh, open those eyes of yours! There the prettiest honey-colored things..."

After a moment, her eyes cracked open, only to be faced by once-similar golden-orange eyes that had since become a bright red and yellow, the two colors constantly shifting. It was, in fact, the form of one of her closest friends, crouched with the heels of her boots digging into her stomach, a sword pointed directly at her left eye. She smiled childishly, her eyes closed as she pushed her left hand, which was casually wrapped around the artfully crafted sword, forward.

Angelina, who'd had her head leaned forward to look at her, jerked it back, and seconds after saw a blade above her, where only seconds ago her eyes would have been.

Decmo shook her head,"Mmmm...you've just restricted any amount of freedom you may have had. I'm disappointed."

And then she leaned the sword back, aiming. It came down extremely fast.

And then it stopped, she didn't know it, her eyes closed again. She heard Decmo 'Tsk'',"Now Angel."

She wanted to tell her not to call her that.

"-You make it no fun by closing your eyes like that. I was finally able to ditch Moony-dear with the infant- oh, nevermind, he's five now, correct?-and you can't keep your EYES open! Here, I must help-"

She swiftly sheathed her sword, and stared fixedly at Angelina.

Then, her nimble fingers plunged into Agelina's left eye

_**". . .I'll get the other one later."**_

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AN: (Jemi) The next time I'm forced to insult some ignorant dickbag, I'm using the phrase "an ignorant nooksniffing douchewaffle" at least once. That is all. Posting this NOW! (And you thought I was going to say something like "Happy Veteran's Day" or something, didn't you?)

...Happy Veteran's Day. May you respect the soldiers that save your asses on a near-daily basis.


End file.
